Bypassing ABS?

gerarda

What is the reason for bypassing ABS on the BMW bikes? Surely and integral part of the braking?

Bluefoam

Travelling on loose paving such as gravel, mud or sand...

JP 1800

Depends which BMW model and year you are referring to. Some models had integral ABS with servo braking. These were problematic and expensive to fix and would eventually fail. Also if the servo ABS threw up an error while you were riding, you potentially had no effective brakes. Not an ideal situation and riders do not like uncertainty when it comes to braking. They were unreliable and people just converted to standard brakes.

goblin59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121891804#Comment_121891804

Usually this on the pre 2006 BMW R1200gs

JP 1800

Any of the iABS bikes from 2001 to 2007 had this issue. BMW reverted to standard ABS after this. The servo system was a major cluster fu#$ by BMW and they did not resolve the issue on bikes with this system. Their response to customers who had ABS failures was to just put in a new unit which would fail again. BMW should have come up with a work around but didn't care.

JP 1800

There is a company in the UK called motorworks who sell a kit to bypass the system, however if you are handy with the spanners you can do it relatively cheaply.

Fabio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058340717/bypassing-abs

JP 1800 has explained it very clearly there. The servo brakes on BMWs from 2001-07 used an electric motor to assist with braking...power-brakes essentially. They were supposedly great when they worked. Problem was you were left with what BMW termed "residual braking" when the system failed.

Why did it fail? I'm not sure but various theories go around including people not flushing their brake fluid often enough. But I've also read of plenty of failures even on very well maintained machines.

In 2007 they reverted to a more common, hydraulic ABS pump, and removed the brake servo. That sorted the reliability issues.

This is how to remove the ABS and convert to standard brakes. Looks easy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLrn45PJD_c&t=716s

Sir Galahad

www.ukgser.com has a huge amount on abs removal. https://www.ukgser.com/community/threads/simple-no-cost-servo-removal-of-1150-iabs-system.152682/page-13#post-5348278

My current 1150 adventure suffered abs failure, so I had it bypassed. It's not a big issue.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121899482#Comment_121899482

Have you told your insurance you've modified your bike to remove a safety feature?

Sir Galahad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948033#Comment_121948033

Yes.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948033#Comment_121948033

Since when is a lottery whether you'll have any braking or not a safety feature?!

Happened to a guy I know, a very experienced rider (part-time instructor) who is extremely meticulous about maintaining his bikes. Luckily he didn't crash.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122017764#Comment_122017764

ABS is a safety feature that the manufacturer installed and since 2016 is mandatory for bikes in the EU. If you bypass it then your bike has been modified away from manufacturer spec if it's pre 2016 and non compliant with EU regulations if its post 2016. You have to tell your insurance company if you have disabled it.